Storms Austen and Boelo helped deliver the wettest week in two years, according to provisional data from the Environment Agency.

Between Wednesday, October 21st and Tuesday, October 27th, an average of 55 mm of rainfall accumulated across England. Most notably, the south-west saw 87 mm within the week, marking the wettest reporting week since October 2024.

River flows increased at all but two of the Environment Agency's reporting sites compared to the previous week with rainfall across England as a whole now 111% of the long-term average for October.

Despite the heavy rain, it is not enough to lift drought conditions which still cover much of the country, with a severe drought status still covering swathes of the south-west.

The autumn and winter months provide time for reservoirs and groundwater to replenish, but with three droughts in five years, the period of recovery is increasingly no longer sufficient before the next summer arrives, especially increasingly hotter ones.

For now, a more settled period appears to be on the horizon as high-pressure takes over. Keep an eye on showers via the WeatherRadar, but more sustained rainfall is beginning to move away again.